New "ironclad" Stadium deal reached

[SoCal Deek]

9 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Dome downtown. We got neither. 

Fair enough, but I’m still going to recommend we all wait to see what the stadium looks like. I’m pretty sure, as many have already said, that a downtown dome would’ve ended up a stripped version of what you see in your head. Just a big empty box of a building sitting off the edge of downtown bringing very little if any of the life and vitality you’ve got in your mind. I was in San Antonio last summer for a conference and there were thousands of people on the River Walk in the heart of the city all having a great time. A couple of blocks away sat the huge and looming Alamodome, empty and lifeless surrounded by an empty parking lot. 

[Doc]

7 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Today no, 5 years ago it was possible. The whole point is they waited until there was no possible way to build downtown. They had no other options. 

 

It still would have been a huge expense in 2017 dollars.  And the Bills would have been coming off their 17th straight non-playoff season.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

41 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Fair enough, but I’m still going to recommend we all wait to see what the stadium looks like. I’m pretty sure, as many have already said, that a downtown dome would’ve ended up a stripped version of what you see in your head. Just a big empty box of a building sitting off the edge of downtown bringing very little if any of the life and vitality you’ve got in your mind. I was in San Antonio last summer for a conference and there were thousands of people on the River Walk in the heart of the city all having a great time. A couple of blocks away sat the huge and looming Alamodome, empty and lifeless surrounded by an empty parking lot. 

I don’t know about you but I always go walk around stadiums in any city I visit. They are a tourist attraction for me, I can’t be the only one. I’m not saying stadiums bring in money to the city but many people do like looking at them when they visit a city.
 

But anyways, downtown was only one part of it. A roof was the other part. Location wasn’t ever a huge deal for me. I had a preference but it really didn’t matter. The roof was the most important thing for me. OP with a roof would’ve been great

Edited April 24, 2022 by Buffalo_Stampede

[Doc]

1 minute ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I don’t know about you but I always go walk around stadiums in any city I visit. They are a tourist attraction for me, I can’t be the only one. I’m not saying stadiums bring in money to the city but many people do like looking at them when they visit a city.
 

But anyways, downtown was only one part of it. A roof was the other part. Location wasn’t ever a huge deal for me. I had a preference but it really didn’t matter. The roof was the most important thing for me. OP with a roof would’ve been great. 

 

Is that because you don't want to deal with the cold? 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

2 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Is that because you don't want to deal with the cold? 

No one does, especially the players. 
 

It’s actually the rain and wind more than the cold. It’s a miserable climate.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Buffalo_Stampede

[Doc]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

No one does, especially the players. 
 

It’s actually the rain and wind more than the cold. It’s a miserable climate.

 

The overhang will shield the fans from rain, wind and snow, but admittedly not cold.  But the lack of wind will remove the wind chill effect.  And I think all the seats will be heated.  In addition, being open-air will allow for a grass field which will be heated so it will be soft and can melt snow, and the players will love that.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

The overhang will shield the fans from rain, wind and snow, but admittedly not cold.  But the lack of wind will remove the wind chill effect.  And I think all the seats will be heated.  In addition, being open-air will allow for a grass field which will be heated so it will be soft and can melt snow, and the players will love that.

As I’ve said, it’s going to be a good stadium. 

[Doc]

46 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

As I’ve said, it’s going to be a good stadium. 

 

It's the best compromise.  A dome would have been nice, but would have precluded a grass field, which is what players really want.  And a retractable field wasn't going to happen.

[Punching Bag]

12 hours ago, Doc said:

 

Some do, some don't.  We won't know what the owners of the Bills will do in 29 years...until that time.  And it won't be Terry, or even Kim making the call, since she'll be 81 then.

 

 

She may be still owner then and active.  Women tend to live longer then men and there have been plenty of active owners in 80s.

[Doc]

2 hours ago, Limeaid said:

She may be still owner then and active.  Women tend to live longer then men and there have been plenty of active owners in 80s.

 

Possibly.  She also may step down well before then and hand it over to her kids.  The point (all along) being: we don't know what will happen in 25 years.

[SoCal Deek]

6 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I don’t know about you but I always go walk around stadiums in any city I visit. They are a tourist attraction for me, I can’t be the only one. I’m not saying stadiums bring in money to the city but many people do like looking at them when they visit a city.
 

But anyways, downtown was only one part of it. A roof was the other part. Location wasn’t ever a huge deal for me. I had a preference but it really didn’t matter. The roof was the most important thing for me. OP with a roof would’ve been great

Many people on here know that I’m an architect and I design major public projects….so yes I regularly tour stadiums. Just got a tour of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles a few months ago. Everyone can debate the location and the design but let’s wait to see what they create before passing final judgment.

[ALF]

 Senator: Public money should mean public ownership for stadiums     (like Green Bay)

ALBANY: Proposal ties public funds to ownership stake in professional sports teams. 

If New York residents are footing the bill for sports stadiums, Sen. Jabari Brisport thinks state residents should be given an opportunity to buy the teams, too.

 

 According to the Investigative Post, five stadiums and arenas in New York City have been built since 2009 — new baseball stadiums for the Yankees and Mets, a hockey arena for the New York Islanders and the new arena for the Brooklyn Nets. Madison Square Garden was also renovated in 2013. Combined, those five projects received roughly $379 million — or 6% of the combing project cost — from taxpayers.

 

https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/senator-public-money-should-mean-public-ownership-for-stadiums/article_ec8d35cd-b356-59ec-b2bc-b1f1eb958382.html

 

Good thing Kathy was able to pass the stadium funding , I'm not sure if the county passed it yet.

[Doc]

3 hours ago, ALF said:

 Senator: Public money should mean public ownership for stadiums     (like Green Bay)

ALBANY: Proposal ties public funds to ownership stake in professional sports teams. 

If New York residents are footing the bill for sports stadiums, Sen. Jabari Brisport thinks state residents should be given an opportunity to buy the teams, too.

 

 According to the Investigative Post, five stadiums and arenas in New York City have been built since 2009 — new baseball stadiums for the Yankees and Mets, a hockey arena for the New York Islanders and the new arena for the Brooklyn Nets. Madison Square Garden was also renovated in 2013. Combined, those five projects received roughly $379 million — or 6% of the combing project cost — from taxpayers.

 

https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/senator-public-money-should-mean-public-ownership-for-stadiums/article_ec8d35cd-b356-59ec-b2bc-b1f1eb958382.html

 

Good thing Kathy was able to pass the stadium funding , I'm not sure if the county passed it yet.

 

This is beyond dumb.  In the Bills' case, the state owns the stadium, even though the Pegulas/NFL kicked-in 40% of the cost.  

Edited April 25, 2022 by Doc

[boater]

22 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Many people on here know that I’m an architect and I design major public projects….so yes I regularly tour stadiums. Just got a tour of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles a few months ago. Everyone can debate the location and the design but let’s wait to see what they create before passing final judgment.

Agree.

 

And they didn't go cheap and hire Joe Schmoe's Architecture from Cheektowaga. They hired a world class architecture firm with plenty of experience. I'm sure the result will be amazing.

[LeGOATski]

23 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Many people on here know that I’m an architect and I design major public projects….so yes I regularly tour stadiums. Just got a tour of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles a few months ago. Everyone can debate the location and the design but let’s wait to see what they create before passing final judgment.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I've already dubbed it the greatest architectural achievement of the 21st century.

[SoCal Deek]

53 minutes ago, boater said:

Agree.

 

And they didn't go cheap and hire Joe Schmoe's Architecture from Cheektowaga. They hired a world class architecture firm with plenty of experience. I'm sure the result will be amazing.

I assume that a pretty contemporary design is coming. I know that many on here have pointed to the brick clad aesthetics of Seattle and Indianapolis as examples to emulate. It’ll be interesting to see which direction they go.

[Punching Bag]

I hope the design accounts for weather and maintenance.  Flash is fine but something solid is more important.

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

Question: have the plans for Highmark Stadium been determined? I.e. when they move to the new stadium what happens to the existing one?

I assume it will be demolished and redeveloped for parking, commercial, residential, etc. but I don't know any details. 

 

It's hard to imagine the demolition of the place I have felt enjoyment (and suffering) both in person and on TV for so many years. It will be something to watch those upper decks drop when the explosions go off.  

[SoCal Deek]

10 hours ago, Bob Chandler's Hands said:

Question: have the plans for Highmark Stadium been determined? I.e. when they move to the new stadium what happens to the existing one?

I assume it will be demolished and redeveloped for parking, commercial, residential, etc. but I don't know any details. 

 

It's hard to imagine the demolition of the place I have felt enjoyment (and suffering) both in person and on TV for so many years. It will be something to watch those upper decks drop when the explosions go off.  

Simple…I’d imagine the footprint of the current stadium will be converted into a parking lot since the new stadium will take up a portion of the existing parking. And I’m not sure how many explosions there’ll be. The lower bowl of course sits into the ground. So only the upper decks need to come down. I’m guessing it’ll be large jackhammers and wrecking balls, as opposed to explosives…but we’ll see.

[Mr. WEO]

23 hours ago, Doc said:

 

This is beyond dumb.  In the Bills' case, the state owns the stadium, even though the Pegulas/NFL kicked-in 40% of the cost.  

 

"Pegula" will pay a fraction of that 40% you cite.